Automatic means for producing sound-vibrations in water.



A. J. MUNDY, H. B. GALE 61: F. M. DEWING. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR PRODUCING SOUND VIBRATIONS IN WATER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12. 1903.

1,003,643, Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

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A. 1. 11111111111, 11.13. GALE & P. M. DEWING. AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR PRODUCING SOUND VIBRATIONS IN WATER.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 12. 1903. I 1,003, 43, A Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

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ARTHUR I. MUNDY, 0F BOSTON, HORACE B. GALE, OF NATICK, AND FRED M. DEWING, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO SUBMARINE SIGNAL COMPANY, OF WATERVILLE, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC MEANS FOR PRODUCING SOUND-VIBRATIONS IN WATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 12, 1903. Serial No. 138,766.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR J. MUNDY, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, HORACE B. GALE, of Natick, in the county of Middlesex, in said State, and FRED M. Dnwrnc, of said Boston, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement inriutomatic Means for Producing Sound-Vibrations in Water, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

This invention is an improvement upon that described and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to A. J. Mundy, No. 725,755, dated April 21, 1908, which shows a submerged sound producing signaling device for imparting sound vibrations to water by which they are transmitted and means for automatically actuating it by the movements of the surface water with relation to the comparatively still water below the surface. Such a device while it is of considerable value for the purpose for which it is intended is dependent directly upon the degree of wave motion for its results. The wave motion lifts the buoy to a greater or less degree according to the size and power of the waves and as the bell at tached to the buoy is lifted its striking mechanism engages the sea anchor with more or less force and a more or less powerful blow is delivered upon the bell. i -is the value of a signal is dependent largely upon the distance which it can be heard and it is desirable that the sound radius of the bell shall always be the same so that an approaching vessel as it comes within the sound radius may determine its distance from the buoy, it is evident that such a device is capable of improvement to cause it to give signals of predetermined and regular reaching power. Such a result is secured in the present invention in which a means to be operated upon by the rising and falling waves causes the storage of energy which is suddenly released so that it imparts to the striker of the bell a sudden movement of predetermined force through the impetus of which it strikes the bell. The motive power being always the same the force of the blow is always the same and hence vibrations of substantially the same force are originated in the sounder and always carry substantially the same distance. The constant operation of this powerstoring element results in the. giving of signals with great frequency and this is aided by the fact that, by subm erging one of the mow ing elements so that it is balanced in deep water thus having a substantially stable position, the entire lifting power of the wave on the buoy is utilized to operate the power-storing element, asituation which would be practically impossible did both the buoy and the other moving element float on the surface of the waterso that there would be but small differences of level between the two and hence but little effect resulting from each wave movement. More over it is well known that the force of the impact resulting from the contact between two bodies moving at different speeds under the influence of gravity differs from the force of the impact where one of the bodies is rising to meet the other body moving under the influence of gravity. It is there fore desirable in a device of this kind where a predetermined result is required that a more positive force than gravity be utilized to cause the movement of the striker and therefore we prefer to use a spring to originate or at least to assist in originating the movement of the striking apparatus for it not only acts positively irrespective of any gravity condition, but also being compressed it exerts its greatest impetus at first and so overcomes the inertia of the various parts in front of it, thus insuring their active TDOVGIHGIllZ WhlCh is important because of the short distance through which the various parts move.

lVe will now describe the invention in conjunction with the drawings forming a Patented Sept. to, 1911. i

part of this specification, and which show one way of carrying the invention into effect, where F igurel is a View. principally in elevation of the apparatus when submerged.

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section upon the dotted line 12 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section, enlarged, to represent the principal operative parts of the apparatus.

F is a buoy or float supported at the surface of the water. A spar S projecting from the under side of the buoy carries at its lower end a signaling mechanism comprising a bell B- and striker operating mechanism the details of which are contained in a case J located above the bell.

A is a sea anchor which as represented consists of a spool-shaped device mounted on the spar S between a stop D and the top of the case J to slide axially on the spar.

e prefer to construct the sea anchor A of wood or otherwise in such a way that it will remain nearly balanced in the water Without tending normally to rise or sink, though exact equilibrium is not necessary. The buoy is moored by a mooring chain C which is connected to the buoy by means of the rod S so that the chain will not become entangled with the portions of the apparatus depending from the buoy. M is a staff projecting upward from the buoy to enable it to be the more readily seen.

The construction above described gives to the buoy a normally vertical position in the water such that the sea anchor and buoy when moving in relation to each other do so with the least possible friction. This is very desirable in order to get the best results.

The mechanism which is operated by the sea anchor to ring the bell comprises a ratchet wheelWV mounted on a shaft supported in the case J which shaft also carries a cam K so that the ratchet wheel W and cam K rotate in unison. The same shaft carries levers L, L which members are free to oscillate thereon. The wheel and cam are caused to rotate by means of pawls P, P each attached to a lever L, L Each lever is connected by a connecting rod R, R to the sea anchor A. The pawls are so hung and operated that one, P, is actuated to rotate the ratchet by the upward pull of its rod R and the other, P, by the downward thrust of its rod R By this means the ratchet is kept in a state of substantially constant rotation so that the cam is always in action. A "holding pawl P holds the ratchet from retraction.

The cam K comprises duplicate arms or surfaces upon which runs a cam roll I car ried on the lower end of the weight or other part X. This part X is also c011- nected by the rod Y with the striker H suspended in the bell B on the fixed pivot U. A spring T is located above the part X in a chamber in the end of the spar S so that it will be compressed by the lifting of the part X by the cam K. The cam K is constructed to raise the part X and thus compress the spring T and then allow it to fall instantly through a limited distance against a stop Z and this applies a quick movement to the striker which causes it to strike the bell a vigorous blow. These blows are of the same character and value regardless of the quickness or degree of the relative movements of the buoy which carries the case J with its inclosed mechanism and the sea anchor, and are given with great frequency. This is due to various facts:

1st. The axial relation of all the parts which tends to hold the spar S in a vertical position so that the sea anchor may move in relation thereto with the least possible friction and hence with the greatest possible effect.

2d. The connections between the sea anchor and the cam are such that each motion of the sea anchor with relation to the spar results in a movement of the cam so that no time is wasted in storing and releasing power and the blows upon the hell are given with considerable frequency even in very still weather. This is of great importance because it is in foggy weather that the apparatus is especially useful and such weather is apt to be accompanied by a flattening out of the waves.

3d. The use of a spring T with the part X results in a quicker and more pronounced action on the part of the striker. The spring assists in overcoming the inertia of the part X and striker so that the parts get under way with rapidity, an important factor when the range of movement is as limited as it must be in the compact mechanism shown, and the effect on the striker is due not only to the weight of the part X, whatever that may be, but to the force of the expanding spring T. The result is a vigorous blow substantially unaffected in force by the direction in which the buoy is moving, 5. 6. whether it is moving upward toward the downwardly sliding part X or downward with that part. The size of the part X may be reduced so that practically the spring alone is effective.

4th. The position connections between the sea anchor and the pawl levers L, L limit and control the movement of the sea anchor at the same time that they transmit the relativemovement of the sea anchor to the pawl lever to rotate the ratchet. By this means each movement of the sea anchor with relation to the buoyant float requires a corresponding movement of the ratchet and thelifting cam operated thereby. Moreover when the specific gravity of the sea anchor is such that it will tend to rise or fall when in position below the buoyant support rather than remain in a neutral position, these connecting rods serve to maintain it in proper operative relation with regard to the cam operating mechanism.

As shown in Fig. 3 the part X is nearly at the end of its upward movement and the striker is retracted from the bell. A slight further rotation of the cam will release the part X and the spring T, throwing the striker into the position represented by dotted outlines. When the part X strikes the stop Z the striker is not instantly stopped at the position H but by means of the spring connection V between the part X. and the striker, is carried forward by its momentum so as to strike the bell B, the spring instantly retracting it to the position H so that it will not damp the vibrations of the bell. The continued rotation of the ratchet wheel W and cam K then lifts the part X again, compresses the spring T and retracts the striker to the position shown in full lines when the operation is repeated.

In the operation of the device the sea anchor being constructed of such material that it will naturally remain submerged at substantial equilibrium a proper distance below the water depending upon its operative position on the spar, and being provided with flanges which take hold on the water, as the float rises and falls with the waves, the tendency of the sea anchor is to remain stationary and in so doing it communicates motion to the ratchet and cams by means of the connecting rods and the pawls and pawl levers, these connecting rods requiring the movement of the ratchet with every movement of the float and also restricting the movement of the sea anchor with relation to the float so that they always maintain operative relation with each other.

While we have described the mechanism which we consider best adapted for the purpose of the invention, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the specific construction which is here shown and described.

In order to prevent confusion of terms we would add that we consider the mechanism shown as attached to the buoyant float, viz: the pawls, ratchet, cam and weight or spring or boththe power accumulating mecha nism, the spring, weight or both being the power accumulator.

What we claim as our invention is 1. In combination, a buoyant support, a submerged signaling device depending therefrom, mechanism for operating said signaling device also depending from said buoyant support, a submerged element movable with relation to said buoyant support, and means, positively connecting said operating mechanism and submerged element, for caus ing said signaling device to give signals of a predetermined and substantially uniform strength.

2. In combination, a buoyant support, a submerged signaling device depending there from, mechanism for operating said signaling device also depending from said buoyant support, an element movable with relation to said buoyant support, and means connecting said operating mechanism and element for causing said signaling device to give signals of substantially equal force, said signaling device and said element being located and arranged for movement in the same axial line.

3. The combination of a buoyant support, a submerged sound-producing signaling device suspended therefrom, a submerged member adapted to remain substantially stationary irrespective of the movements of said support, a ratchet wheel suspended from said support, means positively connecting said ratchet wheel and said stationary member, for giving to said ratchet wheel a substantially constant progressive movement during the rising and falling of said support under the influence of the waves, a lifting and releasing cam connected to said ratchet, and means controlled by said cam for causing said signaling device to give signals of substantially equal force.

4. The combination of a buoyant support, a rigid depending spar, a bell attached to said spar, a sea anchor mounted on said spar for movement thereon, a striker, and mechanism for causing said striker to strike said bell with blows of substantially uniform force, said mechanism including a ratchet supported on said spar and means, positively connected with said ratchet and operated by the upward and downward movements of said sea anchor with relation to said buoyant support, for rotating said ratchet substantially continuously, as described.

5. A submarine signaling apparatus comprising a buoyant support, a sounder depending therefrom, a relatively stationary submerged member located below said buoyant support and between it and said sounder, a power accumulator depending from said buoyant support, means for operating said power accumulator, and means, positively connecting said. operating means and said relatively stationary member, for causing the relative movement of said buoyant support and said relatively stationary member to actuate said power accumulator.

6. A submerged sound producing apparatus comprising a buoyant support, a

sounder supported therefrom, arelatively cumulation of povver'by said power accumustationary submerged member located belator and its'subsequent release.

tween said buoyant support and said ARTHUR J. MUN DY. sounder, a power accumulator depending HORACE B. GALE. from said buoyant support for operating FRED M. DEW'ING. said sounder, and means, positively connect- Vitnesses:

ing said relatively stationary member With SAMUEL T. FRoTHINGI-IAM,

said power accumulator for causing the ac- JOHN E. R. HAYES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C. 

